The Peace that Wasn't
The Failure of Trump’s “Easter Truce”
Nearly 100 days into the second Trump presidency and the war in Ukraine is still raging.
Having run on the promise to end the war in Ukraine “day one” after taking office, Donald Trump has failed to secure any meaningful progress towards a diplomatic settlement to the conflict. What we have seen over the past three months has been the needless extortion of our besieged ally, the rapid decline in relations between Europe and the United States, and the bizarre parroting of Russian talking points by senior members of the administration. Even the brazen attack on Palm Sunday church services in Sumy last week wasn’t enough to convince the administration to change course with regards to Russia.
If you’re subscribed to my Substack, I’m sure you know how I feel about all of this; I don’t need to tell you that this administration is a disaster and that the inability to secure a ceasefire is just one of a thousand failures from Donald Trump and his team. What I am especially bothered by, however, is the inability of administration figures like Rubio and Witkoff to realize how much of a fool’s errand it is trying to make peace with Putin. So far we’ve burned bridges with friends and threw Ukraine under the bus trying to meet the Russians half-way and all we’ve been met with is more maximalist demands and more strikes against civilian targets.
The inability to secure a ceasefire isn’t just a failure by Trump - it’s also a failure by everyone in the administration who continues to enable him and give legitimacy to this fruitless endeavor. In the process of looking for a quick diplomatic win, Trump has completely fumbled the initial prospects for peace and shown himself to be unable to handle a drawn-out negotiation process. Peace doesn’t come from surrender to Russia, it comes from pressuring Russia while continuing to support Ukraine. The United States must make the futility of Putin’s war clear before Moscow will come to the negotiating table.
These guys are as clueless about Putin as LBJ was about Ho Chi Minh.
Metaphorically speaking, removing the snake's head, regardless of how it's done, is what it finally comes down to with despots such as Putin. He will never settle for any kind of peace without something big in return. Making Ukraine part of Russia. And even that isn't written in stone. When it comes to who he was, and is now, it will never be enough. I just pray that President Zelensky NOT give up his country, regardless. It shouldn't be an option. It should NEVER become a bargaining tool. Give someone an inch, they'll take the whole yardstick. We mustn't allow this type of leadership exist.
Unlike Ukraine and other Baltic countries that Putin wants to claim, Canada and Greenland need not fear facing a war with the United States. We, the American people, would never allow it. We've got a very robust gathering of peaceful protestors throughout the country making their presence and concerns well known. It is highly suspect that this will continue until 1) Trump is removed; and 2) the rule of law is fully returned and complied with. Now, it's just a matter of how the proverbial snake's head gets taken out and let justice prevail, as it should be for everyone!